Coronavirus: Cattle-export ship brings virus to NT

An entire crew aboard a livestock ship from Indonesia and three port staff are in isolation in the NT after one of the ship’s crew members ­tested positive for COVID-19.

The Diamantina in Darwin Harbour. Picture: Glenn Campbell

An entire crew aboard a livestock ship from Indonesia and three port staff are in isolation in the Northern Territory after one of the ship’s crew members ­tested positive for COVID-19.

Crew from the Diamantina cattle-export ship, which left Indonesia on Saturday and docked in Darwin’s East Arm wharf on Sunday, completed COVID-19 tests on arrival. On Monday, one man, 25, from Pakistan returned a positive result and was immediately transferred to Royal Darwin Hospital.

All members of the ship were ordered to isolate but only 12 of its 28-man crew have been ­transferred to Darwin’s Howard Springs quarantine facility, about 17km from the wharf.

While international maritime law required some members to stay with the ship, a Northern Territory government spokesman confirmed the remaining 15 members are serving out their quarantine aboard the ship.

NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles said on Tuesday that “just a handful” of Port of Darwin staff came into contact with the ship, including a pilot who entered the ship to guide it into the wharf.

“I’m advised they were wearing PPE when they boarded that vessel and did not come into contact with the infectious individual,” she said. “But, of course, they have been in contact with the vessel and have become a contact and are now in isolation and have been tested.”